Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Entrance Exam
August 31st was a bright, sunny day. The start of the school year brought a bustling energy to the otherwise quiet little town, making it feel lively and crowded.
Although Tollan Town was small, its administrative functions were comparable to those of a county seat. It had only one high school, which boasted a miraculously high college matriculation rate and a large student body. A single grade level could have as many as twelve classes, with sixty to seventy students in each!
While the newly enrolled freshmen were full of excitement, the sophomores wore looks of misery, lamenting how summer vacation had vanished in the blink of an eye. The seniors, meanwhile, were filled with a sense of tension, anxiety, and urgency.
Seraphina Sterling, however, felt only a faint sense of nostalgia for her past high school life, for those salad days filled with youthful, smiling faces. Gazing at the azure sky and feeling the scorching sun, everything seemed so perfect—so perfect it brought tears to her eyes.
"Seraphina, don’t be nervous. Just do your best! Mom believes in you!" Kimberly Jennings assumed Seraphina was acting so unusually because she was worried about the exam.
Seraphina Sterling offered a warm smile, her confident gaze making her seem even more radiant. "Just wait for my good news!"
"Go for it, Seraphina! I’ll be waiting for you in Class 1! We might be classmates soon!" For the first time, Summer wasn’t dreading the start of school. Having a friend to accompany her through the tedious school life would be the best thing ever.
Seraphina Sterling waved and walked straight into the examination hall.
"Sylvie, don’t be too nervous. You’ll underperform if you’re tense. Just do what you normally do!"
"Mia, this is it! You have to make us proud!"
"Saul Hanson, if you don’t pass this exam, you might as well drop out and go find work in the city. This is your only chance!"
...
The air was filled with the sound of parents giving last-minute instructions to their children. Many people were desperate to get into this high school, but not everyone could. You could get in if you had money, but wealthy families could choose even better high schools. For those without money, their only option was to rely on their own abilities.
Seraphina Sterling had changed her mind about wanting a quiet high school life. ’Aria Cheney always brings up my grades. I need to put an end to that once and for all!’ More than thirty students were taking the exam, which had a two-and-a-half-hour time limit. Seraphina used only half an hour before walking out of the examination hall.
Kimberly Jennings was chatting with other parents under the shade of a tree while they all waited for their children. When she saw Seraphina Sterling walk out of the examination hall, she hurried over to her. "Seraphina, it’s okay if the test was too hard. Mom will figure something else out!"
Seraphina didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Mom, what are you thinking? The test was just too easy! Let’s go home for now and come back this afternoon. The results won’t be out until then anyway, and it’s too hot here!"
Kimberly Jennings felt dizzy as Seraphina pulled her away. Even after they got home, she still couldn’t believe it. ’My daughter said the test was easy? She turned it in early? Oh my god! Am I dreaming? Seraphina has really blossomed! It must be thanks to Teacher Grant. I have to find a chance to thank him properly!’
If Seraphina knew what her mother was thinking right now, she would have been angry enough to spit blood!
Kimberly Jennings was so happy that she cooked a spread of Seraphina’s favorite dishes to celebrate her presumed successful admission in advance. While the scorching sun outside made everyone else drowsy, this mother and daughter were enjoying delicious food in the cool comfort of their home. The contrast between them and the other students and parents still waiting at the school was immense.
In the afternoon, Kimberly Jennings was anxious to get back to the school early to hear the results. But Seraphina, eyeing the blazing sun outside, insisted on waiting until the very last minute before the announcements were made.
On the first day of school, Aria Cheney, the Dean of Students, was so busy she barely had time for a sip of water. Still, she managed to squeeze in a moment to check the entrance exam results. ’Let’s see if Kimberly Jennings comes begging when she finds out Seraphina failed,’ she thought. ’Then I can take the opportunity to raise the price!’
